DelBene releases economic plan, says Reichert wrong for biz

Ratcheting up her challenge to Rep. Dave Reichert, Democrat Suzan DelBene on Tuesday released a white paper PDF outlining her economic plans.

DelBene, who has worked as an executive at Microsoft and Drugstore.com, used rhetoric the GOP usually deploys against Democrats in saying the career public servant Reichert is out of touch.

“Since 2005, the 8th Congressional District has been represented by someone who lacks real-world knowledge of how jobs are created, doesn’t understand what it takes to enable businesses to succeed, and who has done too little to help families facing hard times,” DelBene’s white paper says. “Despite the financial meltdown and recession, he opposed reforms to close loopholes in our financial system.”

Before being elected to Congress Reichert was the long-time King County sheriff.

Among DelBene’s goals:

Making the Research and Development tax credit permanent, something she said would help local tech companies.

Expand tax deductions for start-ups.

Passing the Green Bank Act, which would pay for clean energy projects through a corporation owned by the federal government.

Modernizing the patent system to ensure that applications are considered in a more timely manner.

Expanding training for health care workers.

Increasing funding for community college for low-income students and workers who’ve been laid off.

DelBene is the latest serious challenger to Reichert, whose seat seems to be permanently in peril. However despite representing an area that is trending Democratic (Eastside cities, and much of rural King and Pierce Counties), Reichert has prevailed (in fact, since the district’s creation in 1980, the Democrats have never won). Reichert beat Darcy Burner – another candidate with ties to the tech industry – in 2006 and 2008. DelBene (helped by $500,000 of her own money) has raised more than $1.2 million. She has the backing of EMILY’S List, a major cash source for Democratic female candidates.

In an interview with seattlepi.com, DelBene repeatedly said Reichert didn’t get it when it came to the economy and that he’d showed no leadership on financial issues.

“For me, the number one issue that we’re facing is lack of jobs and the slowing of the economy and we’ve got to address that,” she said. “That’s my number one issue.”

Asked about perhaps the biggest measure that will be on the fall ballot, DelBene said she was supportive of Bill Gates Sr.’s Initiative 1077, which would create an income tax for the wealthy to pay for education and health care. “I think he’s trying to do the right thing. I think he’s trying to address our very regressive tax system and create something that’s more fair.”